As much as I believe that Mad Men’s racial makeup reflects the reality of the 1960’s advertising workforce, I still had to ask the show’s creator Matthew Weiner if he would consider introducing a brother to the Sterling Cooper firm during next season.
But I was pleasantly surprised – and intrigued – when he hinted at the possibility of bringin a new character of color on-board for Season 3 of Mad Men!
Jon Hamm’s portrayal of Don Draper on Mad Men oozes with dapper GQ-ness, but at the Season 3 premiere, Hamm’s relaxed demeanor eclipsed his character’s trademark suaveness. Take, for example, his calm but humorous responses to my questions about Twitter and the effects of advertising.
I’ll get it off my chest upfront – Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks is just as much of a bombshell as her curvy character Joan is. Here, she teases me about some of the foxy looks that she’ll be sporting during Season 3, and we share a little Ebonics moment!
Like Melissa, Ade will also be remembered for the Romeo and Juliet and Breast Cancer numbers. Through his multiple lifts, he also proved to be one of So You Think You Can Dance’s strongest dancers this season, and in my session with him he reminds me why the competition isn’t only about finding America’s Best Dancer, but crowning America’s Favorite Dancer.
After our chat, Ade adds a new step to my repertoire by teaching me his Michael Jackson-inspired “Happy Dance”. Now, I’ve gotta work on executing one of his trademark leaps!
Although Melissa and Ade missed making the So You Think You Can Dance finale by one week, they left an impression on the show with two remarkable routines – the Romeo and Juliet ballet number and the Breast Cancer awareness piece.
First up is my discussion with Melissa wherein she recalls one of her personal emotional high points. Afterwards, she schools me on the art of the pique turn. If my turn seems a little off, it’s only because I’m not in point shoes – hehe!
Say what you will about the mogul/actor/rapper’s swagger, but I continue to be inspired by the diversity of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs‘ hustle.
So, when he deemed himself the “Black Sinatra” in an interview that I did with him last year (for Fox Reality Channel), I dug the ambition that sparked that bold proclamation. At that time, he was so passionate about his own acting and producing work that he ended the segment by imploring viewers, “Applaud me ladies and gentlemen!”
Since that interview, Diddy has remained a pop culture magnate by venturing into film, television, and the web, but his credibility as a label exec was challenged when one of the most visible acts on his Bad Boy Records’ roster, Danity Kane, dissolved.
Kathy Griffin ranks among the most polarizing comedians of our time. Her rants on celebrity culture have earned her two Emmys and a Grammy nomination, but her loose lips have gotten her banned from several stops on the talk show circuit. Though I wince at a few of her remarks, her show Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List consistently gives me cause to chuckle. Her candid and respectful approach to race, however, has scored her some solid points in my book.
In a recent episode, we watched Kathy prep for her first (and potentially last) performance at the Apollo Theatre by consulting notable black figures/entertainers like TI, Katt Williams, and Rev. Al Sharpton. She challenged TI’s swagger and grabbed auto advice from Katt, but the episode’s most refreshing gift was how it subtly reinforced the notion that “Black Culture” is not synonymous with “Hip-Hop Culture”!
Recent Comments